From head to foot, Antonio Brown has been positively problematic since joining the Raiders.
The latest? Brown has reportedly threatened to retire because he doesn't like the way his new helmet fits, according to ESPN.
That means, if he follows through on this threat, he stands to forfeit up to $50 million. That's the value of the contract extension he signed when he was traded to the Raiders.
Something tells me he'll find it in his heart to play football again. Assuming his feet let him. He still carries top-40 Fantasy pick clout on Draft Day ... unless this gets worse.
It's been a bumpy ride for Brown since he arrived via hot air balloon to training camp in late July. He took part in one training camp practice after being on the Non-Football Injury list before ultimately leaving Raiders camp. It was soon revealed Brown suffered a painful-looking foot issue as a result of wearing improper footwear during a cryotherapy session in France in July. What a paragraph this has been.
But wait, there's more. NFL Media's Mike Silver reported that the helmet Brown has used his entire career has been prohibited from use by the league for not passing safety measures. Brown tried to repaint his old helmet to look like a Raiders helmet and pass it off as a new model but got caught doing so twice. ESPN reported he had a two-hour hearing with the league on Friday to convince them he should be allowed to wear his old version.
Would Mr. Big Chest really walk away from $50 million, the game he loves and the team he barely knows because of a helmet? Seems kind of silly. Ideally, he would eventually adjust to his new headgear that would keep him safer when playing professional football. But given what's happened, we have to take seriously the possibility that he really, truly could follow through on this threat.
There should be equal concern about his ability to run, cut, juke, spin, etc. on those hooves of his. If the cryotherapy mishap keeps him from being the explosive receiver we've come to know, he's sure to be a Fantasy Football disappointment.
There's also reason to be concerned about Brown doing something else that could cost him playing time. He's gotten into public spats with teammates, coaches, media and family members. He's been more than outspoken about his lifestyle in interviews. He's been sued for trashing an apartment and throwing furniture from the 14th floor of a building. What happens when he gets into a brouhaha with coach Jon Gruden or, worse yet, team owner Mark Davis? We're not saying those things will happen, just that something could spur another outburst.
If you don't want the headache of dealing with Brown (like the Steelers), cross him off your draft board. If you still view him as a very good receiver who can help your Fantasy team win, which he would certainly be once he's back with the team and with well-conditioned feet, then Round 3 would make for an excellent value. You might be able to slip into Round 4 and still get him.
Hopefully he's back with the team soon, arriving by Batmobile or submarine or Air Force One or a rickshaw or whatever. As long as he's back.
So what 2019 Fantasy football sleepers should you snatch in your draft? And which RB1 candidate can you wait on until late? Visit SportsLine now to get 2019 Fantasy Football cheat sheets from the model that called Matt Breida's huge season, and find out.
